Can-filler.



No. .657,l5|. Patented Sept. 4,1900. J. E. AUE.

CAN FILLER.

Application filed Mar. 10, 1899.]

(No Model.)

WITNESSES:

llrrnn STATES PATENT @FFICE.

JOSEPH E. AUE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE DE LA VERGNE REFRIGERATING MACHINE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CAN-FILLER.

{SPECIFICATION forming art of Letters Patent No. 657,151, dated September 4, 1900.

Application filed March 10, 1 8 9 9- To all whom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, JOSEPH E. AUE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Bronx,

county of New York, and State of New York,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gan-Fillers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part :0 hereof.

My invention relates to means for filling fluid-receptacles, such as cans, with measured or predetermined quantities of fluid, and the means embodying myinvention hereinafter described have been designed for the purpose of filling the freezingcans used in the manufacture of ice.

The objects of my invention are to provide a can-filler which shall be automatic in all operations, shall not waste the water or other filling fluid, shall at all times maintain the fluid-passages full of fluid and exclude air therefrom,and shall be of simple construction, durable and not liable to get out of order, and readily adjustable to determine to a nicety the point at which the fluid-supply shall be out off.

The nature and objects of my invention will more fully appear from the following de- 0 scription of the can-filler embodying my invention shown in the accompanyingdrawin gs.

Figure 1 is an elevation of the can-filler, partly in section, and a vertical section of a freezingcan, within which the can filler is 5 placed in operative position. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of the same on a plane indicated by the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section of portions of the upper part of the filler. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail of the adjustable connection between the float-adjusting rod and float. Fig. 5 is an underneath enlarged sectional plan of the upper casing of the filler on the plane of the face of the valve-seat therein.

The can 1 shown is a freezing-can, such as is ordinarily used in ice-manufacturing establishments. These cans are filled to a predetermined point with distilled water, which is frozen therein to a solid cake of ice.

The filler has a main tube 8, which forms a guide for the fluid-actuated device or float Serial No. 708,608. (No model.)

4, and has an inlet-casing 5 at its upper end and a foot valve 6, to be hereinafter described, atits lower end. The inlet-casing 5 is provided with a stem 7 for the attachment of a flexible tube to connect the filler with the source of fluid-supply and is also shown as provided with a handle 8 for convenience in handling the filler.

The float-actuated inlet-valve or float-valve is located in the inlet-casing 5 and includes a valve-seat 9, formed in the casing, and a vertically movable valve 10, working up wardly against the seat and connected to the float 1 by a stem 11 and a float-adjusting rod '12. A leak-orifice is provided through this float-Valve, so that when the valve is closed a small quantity of fluid may pass through it, the purpose of which will be hereinafter set forth, this leak-orifice being shown as formed by a small groove 19 in the seat of the valve. (See Fig. 5.) In some cases the leak-orifice or a number of very small leak-orifices may be provided by leaving the valve-seat rough or unfinished.

The float-valve stem 11 passes through a stuffing-box in the casing, shown as fo'rmed by a gland-plug 13, clamping a cup-shaped packing-washer, which may be of leather, against a gland-washer 14, and a soft Washer, which may be of leather, rests upon the gland washer 14 to cushion the movable valve 10 when itfalls to lower position. The float-adjusting rod 12 is loosely connected to the valve-stem 11, so as not to interfere with the seating of the valve, the valve-stem being shown as pinned to a coupling-piece 15 at the top of the float-adjusting rod 12, and the float-adjusting rod 12 passes freely through a guide 20 on the frame and is adjustably connected to the float, as shown, by means of a slotted nut 16 on the threaded lower end of the adjusting-rod 12, engaging a slotted washer 17, (see Fig. 4,) soldered or otherwise secured to the top of the float 4, a 5

jam or look nut 18 being also provided. The

float is adjusted by loosening the j am-nut 18 and then turning the float-adjusting rod 12 to screw the rod upwardly or downwardly in the slotted nut 16 and then tightening the loo jam-nut. The above-described construction of ad justingdevice is strong and simple and forms an excellent connection with the thin metal top of the float 4. The float is preferably of thin metal and hollow, with large orifices in the top for the escape of water in case of slight leaks and so as to permit access thereto for repairing leaks.

The foot-valve 6 is shown as provided with a movable valve 22, having guide-vanes 21 and working against a seat 23. Its operation is automatic, the weight of the filler opening the foot-valve when the filler is rested upon the bottom of the can and the weight of the movable valve and vanes, assisted by the spring 30, closing the foot-valve when the tiller is lifted up out of contact with the bottom of the can.

The frame of the filler is preferably of such shape as to permit the filler to be readily inserted within and removed from the can and to hold the filler upright in the can and to shield the float from injury. As shown, a top cross-brace 24 is clamped to the main tube 3 by a bolt 25, passing through lugs of a split clamp formed in the top brace. The top cross-brace 24 extends nearly the full width of the interior of the can and has horizontal curved rods or pipes 26 extending from the ends thereof, which are constructed to extend in proximity to the side and end walls of the can. From these horizontal arms 26 at points medially relatively to the ends of the can and from the ends of the top crossbrace 25 curved rods or pipes 27 extend downwardly and are joined to a bottom connection 28 upon the main tube 3.

The only handling required by a filler embodying my invention after it has been connected with the source of fluid-supply is the placing of the filler in a can and the removal of the filler from the can. All other operations are automatic, and I will now describe these operations, assuming that the initial connection of the filler to the source of fluidsupply has been made and the tiller has been placed in a can. When thelowerend of the filler reaches and rests upon the bottom of the can, the foot-valve 6 is opened, and as the float-valve is normally held open by the weight of the float 4 the fluid passes freely through the filler and the filling of the can proceeds. lVhen the fluid first enters the tiller, it frequently happens that air is trapped in the upper part of the inlet-casing 5, which if allowed to remain there would interfere with the proper operation of the filler. I therefore provide an air-relief device shown as a screw-plug 29, tapped into a small orifice at the top of the inlet-casing 5, which is normally tightly closed, but may be unscrewed at any time to permit the air to escape and then again tightly closed. The filling of the can proceeds until the float t is lifted by the fluid in the can and closes the float-valve at the predetermined point. The water-level at this point is indicated by the broken line m, Fig. 1, and the float-valve is shown in closed position in Figs. 1 and 3. The fact that the float-valve has been closed and the fluid-supply thereby cut off is readily apparent to the attendant from the quiescent state of the fluid in the can and the position of the loose 'coupling 15 on the float-valve stem 11. Usually the filler is left in a can for a longer period than is necessary for filling it, the attendant meantime going away and attending to other work. When the attendant lifts the filler up off the bottom of the can, the foot-valve 6 promptly closes, and thereby substantially all fluid within the filler is retained therein, and thereby the foot-valve controls the fluidpassage through the filler independently of the float-valve. As the filler is lifted out of the can the weight of the float, which was temporarily sustained by the fluid in the can, is again exerted upon the connection of the float and float-valve; but as the float-valve is now closed with fluid under pressure behind it it would, if tight, be capable of offering considerable resistance to the downward pull of the float. Although by the closing of the foot-valve when the filler is lifted out of the can a solid body of fluid is retained in the tiller between the foot-valve and the floatvalve, this fluid, being substantially inelastic, can exert no appreciable back pressure against the float-valve, and the float-valve, if tight, would sustain the full fluid-pressure in resistance to an opening movement; but by the provision of the leak-orifice 19, as above described,through the float-valve when the float=valve is closed a small quantity of fluid is permitted to pass to the upper side of the valve, and thereby a downward pressure is exerted upon the valve, which soon assists the weight of the float sufficiently to cause the float-valve to be opened. In prac* tice I have found that the float-valve remains closed an appreciable interval after the float has been lifted out of the fluid in the can, but that it opens quite promptly. The filler is then ready to be placed in another can and when it is placed in another can the operations above described will be repeated.

It will be observed that the fluid-actuated device or float closes the float-valve, and thereby closes the fluid-passage through the filler, when the predetermined depth of fluid in the can is attained and remains in control of the fluid-passage through the filler as long thereafter as the filler remains in the can. When, however, the filler is withdrawn from the can, the fluid-actuated device or float'is automaticallyrelieved of the control of the fluid-passage by the opening of the floatvalve, as above described, and the foot-valve closes, preventing the escape of fluid from the filler, and remains closed until again opened by contact with the bottom of the next can and is in full control of the fluid-passage, so that when it is thus opened the fluid flows freely into the can.

It is evident that various modifications may be made in the construction shown in the drawings and above particularly described and that my invention is capable of embodiment, partially or wholly, in structures adapted for filling receptacles of various kinds with predetermined quantities of fluid and that parts and features of my invention may be embodied and used in connection with parts other than those above described.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A can-filler comprising a float,and a floatvalve constructed to open against the fluidpressure and actuated by the float so that the buoyant action of the float closes the floatvalve and the weight of the float tends to open the floatvalve against the fluid-pressure, means for assisting the weight of the float to open the float-valve, and means for maintaining the fluid-passage through the filler full of fluid when the filler is removed from a can, substantially as set forth.

2. A can-filler comprising a float and a floatvalve connected thereto so that the buoyant action of the float closes the float-valve and the weight of the float tends to open the floatvalve, and means for retaining fluid in the filler in advance of the float-valve when the filler is removed from a can, the float-valve being constructed so as when closed to permit the passage therethrough of a small quantity of fluid, whereby the weight of the float is permitted to open the float-valve, substantially as set forth.

3. A can-filler comprisinga float and a floatvalve actuated thereby so that the buoyant action of the float closes the float-valve and the weight of the float tends to open the floatvalve, and a valve constructed to be opened when the filler is placed in a can and closed when the filler is removed from the can, the latter valve beinglocated in proximity to the exit end of the filler and the float-valve being constructed so as when closed to permit the passage therethrough of a small quantity of fluid, whereby the weight of the float is permitted to open the float-valve, substantially as set forth.

4. In a can-filler, in combination, a fluidaotuated device and the valve actuated thereby so that the valve is closed by the fluid-actuated device when the can is filled to a predetermined point, said valve being constructed so as when closed to permit the passage therethrough of a small quantity of fluid,

whereby the weight of the fluid-actuated de vice is permitted to open said valve, and means for maintaining the fluid-passages full of fluid when the filler is removed from the can, substantially as set forth.

5. In a can-filler, in combination, a fluidactuated device and a valve connected thereto so that the valve is closed by thefluid-actuated device when the can is filled to a predetermined height, said valve being constructed so as when closed to permit the passage therethrough of a small quantity of fluid, whereby the weight of the fluid-actuated device is permitted to open the valve, and a footvalve constructed so as to be automatically opened when the filler is placed in a can and automatically closed when the filler is removed from the can, whereby the fluid-passage is maintained full of fluid when the filler is removed from the can, substantially as set forth.

6. A can-filler comprising fluid-actuated means and a valve connected thereto, said valve having a leak-orifice therethrongh, and means for maintaining the fluid-passage full of fluid when the filler is removed from a can, substantially as set forth.

7. A can-filler comprising fluid-actuated means, a foot-valve constructed to maintain the fluid-passage full of fluid when the filler is withdrawn from a can, and another valve located in rear of the foot-valve and connected to the fluid-actuated means, the latter valve having a leak-orifice therethro ugh, substantially as set forth.

8. In a can-filler, in combination, the main tube 3, the inlet-casing 5 connected thereto, the float 4 guided on the main tube, the floatvalve 9, 10, having a leak-orifice therein, the float-valve stem 11, the float-adj ustin g rod 12, loosely coupled to the valve-stem and having a nut thereon engaging the float, the guide 20 for the float-adjusting rod, and means for maintaining the fluid-passage full of fluid when the filler is withdrawn from acan, substantially as set forth.

Signed at the city of New York, State of New York, this 8th day of March, 1899.

JOSEPH E. AUE.

Witnesses:

GEo. RICHMOND, HENRY D. WILLIAMS. 

